as a bull--for
magnified by the moonlight, and perhaps a little by the fears of those
who looked upon it, the quadruped was quite quadrupled in size.
Disputing their passage too; for its movements made it manifest that
such was its design. Backwards and forwards, up and down that curving
crest, did it glide, with a nervous quickness, that hindered any hope of
being able to rush past it--either before or behind--its own crest all
the while erected, like that of the dragon subdued by St. George.

With all his English "pluck"--even stimulated by this resemblance to the
national knight--Harry Blount felt shy to approach that creature that
challenged the passage of himself and his companions.

Had there been no danger _en arriere_, perhaps our adventurers would
have turned back into the valley, and left the ugly quadruped master of
the pass.

As it was, a different resolve was arrived at--necessity being the
dictator.

The three midshipmen, drawing their dirks, advanced in line of battle up
the slope. The Devil himself could scarce withstand such an assault.
England, Scotland, Ireland, abreast--_tres juncti in uno_--united in
thought, aim, and action--was there aught upon earth--biped, quadruped,
or _mille-pied_--that must not yield to the charge?

If there was, it was not that animal oscillating along the saddle of
sand, progressing from pommel to cantle, like the pendulum of a clock.

Whether natural or supernatural, long before our adventurers got near
enough to decide, the creature, to use a phrase of very modern mention,
"skedaddled," leaving them free--so far as it was concerned--to continue
their retreat unmolested.

It did not depart, however, until after delivering a salute, that left
our adventurers in greater doubt than ever of its true character. They
had been debating among themselves whether it was a thing of the earth,
of time, or something that belonged to eternity. They had seen it under
a fair light, and could not decide. But now that they had heard it,--had
listened to a strain of loud cachinnation,--scarce mocking the laughter
of the maniac,--there was no escaping from the conclusion that what they
had seen was either Satan himself, or one of his Ethiopian satellites!

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE HUE AND CRY.

As the strange creature that had threatened to dispute their passage was
no longer in sight, and seemed, moreover, to have gone clear away, the
three mids ceased to think any more of i